Kyoto is awesome. You can see it even before you arrive in Japan. There is no doubt about it. When I was checking out what to do here, Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and orange Fushimi Inari were the first two things that caught my eye, of course. So, the day started like any other – we were just a bit more prepared for rain this time. We decided to not care about it too much and see Fushimi Inari, or maybe go to Nara for the day.

That lasted for about 5 minutes since basically all of the JR lines were suspended due to heavy rain. I cannot even tell you how long the line at the ticket counter was. Painfully long. So, we went to the tourist office to check how else we can get to Fushimi Inari, without the train. Because there has to be another way, right? Of course, there is. But Fushimi Inari is also closed due to heavy rain, as are almost all other outdoor sights, except shrines and temples in the city. You cannot really close those, or can you?

Don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of rain, otherwise, Slovenia wouldn’t be an option. But this? I was somewhere between completely helpless and pissed off. It’s good I didn’t check the news. The next thing we realized was, that we have to get from Kyoto to Kinosaki Onsen somehow the next day, and the trains don’t run and the buses are canceled, and we have our ryokan reservation there, which I really looked forward to. My mood? Downhill. I was probably quiet for 2h which really rarely happens. Also, we realized we cannot stay in our hostel in Kyoto, because it is fully booked, of course.

We figured we could drive to Kinosaki (in heavy rain and on the left), so next stop was driving license translation. We will rent a car. Right? But the roads are also blocked. Ok, we get the license translated. It takes around 1h to do that. It would be faster in Osaka because they have to send everything through their office anyway.

We realize that we could have gone to Nara with Kintetsu trains, which are somehow still running, but now its already too late. And we’re hungry and wet and have blisters and one of us has period pains.

So, what can we do? Nishiki market, where you can find foods & goods and it is sort of inside. So, we decide to let food temporarily solve the problems. Oh, phones everywhere are still on emergency alert, as the weather situation is obviously not getting any better. The whole station is beeping. But we decide we need okonomiyaki. And some takoyaki on top. And obviously something sweet, because why not?

We walk around some more, stroll around lovely Gion, aka the Geisha district and the center of Kyoto’s traditional arts. Shows at Gion corner are canceled due to heavy rain. Shops and temples mostly close at 5 pm, but it’s still nice. Awesome umbrella styles everywhere.

We check out some temples and make a must-do pic with the pumpkin in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art. We wanted to go to Naoshima one of these days, but with the weather, this will have to do. We see some pretty kimono girls, find some love hotels and slowly evening is here.

It stopped raining momentarily. Lines at JR counter are still long, but what can you do? We wait and manage to get a reservation for the 7.30 am train to Kinosaki Onsen, as the trains are currently running. But nobody knows until when and if they will still be running in the morning. So, we happily take the reservation, pack up our backpacks which are staying in Kyoto this time, (we’re traveling light this time), and we hope for the best.

We top our luck off with gin & tonic, with really not much tonic, and that’s it for the day. I opt not to check the weather report, so I don’t spoil my night. It will be a short one anyway.